Part 58 (2/2)
”That's right.”
”How much?”
”One ton.”
”Whose idea was it to land on Buccaneer Island?”
”I don't know,” she said earnestly.
”What was the other side of the coin? Lukatis must've had a story. ”
”Yes. He claimed it was Winslow who approached him.”
”And the front-end financing?”
”Lukatis' story was that Winslow did it all; he just went along to help,” she said; then her mood became hostile and suspicious. ”How come you're so interested in this? Are you going to do something stupid-like try to overturn the verdict in the Lukatis case?”
”Hardly,” I said. ”Tony Lukatis is dead.”
Her reaction told me she didn't know about Tony Lukatis yet. That made sense, since the homicide was being investigated outside her jurisdiction.
”What happened?” she asked.
”We're not sure yet,” I said. ”Our guess is that he tried another dope run and it went sour.”
”Where?”
”South of here. We should have the autopsy report by now. He may have been in it with Longnose Graves.”
”What? Never!”
”How come you're so sure he wasn't?”
She held up one finger and said, ”Graves isn't in the trade,” and than a second, ”and if he were, he wouldn't go near Tony Lukatis.”
”Why?”
”Because Mr. Stoney wouldn't like it.”
”And Graves and t.i.tan get along, that it?”
”An uneasy peace, but it seems to work for the sheriff. That's not my business, anyway, Kilmer.”
”You could make it your business.”
”Not and stay in office. We're getting off the subject, anyway.”
”If Lukatis financed the Winslow run, I'd like to know where he got the hundred grand or so in front money it took. That's what we're talking about, hot off the boat.”
”He was financed by his connection,” she said with a shrug.
”Did you prove that in court?”
”It's what Winslow testified.”
”So he was the main witness?”
”Yes. And the arresting officers.”
”Do you think Lukatis was really the guilty one?”
It was an insult, a question I was sorry I asked as the words were coming out of my mouth. Her expression said how big the insult was. She looked shocked and angry.
”I'm sorry,” I said hurriedly. ”I withdraw the question.”
”It was a strong case and a good one and I did the best I could with it, which is how I handle every case, Mr. Kilmer. I talked at length with Tony Lukatis. He was arrogant and uncooperative.”
”Which is the way anyone might react if they felt they were being double-dealt,” I said.
She hesitated for a moment and then shrugged. ”I suppose so,” she said. ”Anyway, all this is a matter of public record.”
I said, ”With any luck, I'm going to make you a hero.”
”I've heard that song before.”
”Not in my lovely alto,” I said.
She hesitated a moment longer. ”G.o.d, would I like to trust you,” she said, half-aloud.
”What've you got to lose? Besides, we've got a deal. You told me what I wanted to know.”
We started to leave and a new face appeared in the ICU. He was tall and so painfully thin that he looked anorectic. He was wearing a tuxedo and there was a panicked expression on his face. He stared at us and at the cop sitting at the control unit.
”Who are all these people?” he asked, motioning to us, but looking at the nurses.
”I'm District Attorney Galavanti,” she said, and pointing to me, ”This is one of my people.”
”Can we please clear the area,” he said, taking command again. ”I'm Dr. George Hanson, Mr. Raines' personal physician.”
”Yes, sir,” she said. ”There's just one thing. I have a small tape recorder on the bar near Mr. Raines' head, in case he should say something . . . ”
”Thanks,” I said on the way out. ”We may end up with zip, but we could score.”
”Like I said, Kilmer, I'll believe it when it happens.”
We stepped out into the hall and came face to face with Stonewall t.i.tan and Doe Raines.
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